In the last act, Irene, in search of her brother, finds him in the capitol at prayer. He tells her that their cause is lost and bids her seek Adriano for protection. But even with hope dead, he still speaks in terms of golden eloquence of his love for Rome. Irene refuses to go and declares that she will die with him. She succeeds in lending him fresh courage and he goes forth once more to try to win the ear of the people. But the mob even now has surrounded the capitol with firebrands. Never faltering, he seeks a balcony to speak a last word of patriotic admonition, but his voice is drowned in the din. Adriano sees Irene in the glare and comes to perish with them and the capitol falls in ruins over the last of the Tribunes and his friends.
In " Rienzi," Richard Wagner, reformer though he was destined to be, did not succeed in getting in anywise far away from the conventions of Italian opera as they existed at the time the work was created. He wrote with more brilliancy and showiness than even Meyerbeer had succeeded in achieving, but he used the same forms, viz., the aria, the concerted numbers, the elaborate finales and the set recitative, while the orchestra furnished accompaniment rather than serving as tonal illustrator of the action on the stage. The work found favor, however, and won for its
composer the position of orchestral director at the Royal Opera in Dresden. Later on, Wagner himself regarded " Rienzi " with little liking and the opera now has interest chiefly as marking the starting point of its author's reform atory progress into the field of lyric drama.
Among the striking passages are the aria of the hero, " Wohlan, so mag es sein " (" 'Tis well, so may it be ") ; the terzet for Rienzi, Irene and Adriano, " 0 Schwester, sprich" (" 0 sister, speak ") ; the passionate duet of Adriano and Irene, "Ergeht und lasst dich meinen Schutz " (" He goes and leaves thee in my care ") ; the spirited chorus of people in the finale of the first act ; the song of the mes senger of peace ; the elaborate ballet music; the battle hymn, "Auf, Romer, auf, fiir Heerd und fiir Altare " Up Romans, strike for hearth and for your homes ") ; Adrian's great scena, " Gerechter Gott " (" Thou God of right ") a number which still has frequent performance in the concert room; Rienzi's prayer in the capitol, "Allmacht ger Vater, blick herab " and the duet of Adriano and Irene, " Leb wohl, Irene " (" Farewell, Irene ").